Snow Angels
by Bridgette Potter
Summary: What happens when Margaret decides to drop in to see an old friend? Read on to find out! HM included.
1. Chapter 1

Snow Angels

Margaret Houlihan drove down the highway looking at all the houses that lined it. She peered through the softly falling snow at all the addresses that were on the mailboxes. She saw she was getting close to her destination and smiled at the little surprise she was going to give an old friend of hers.

It had been about year since she had last seen Hawkeye Pierce. During that time she had quit the Army and had gotten settled down in a small town in Michigan. It was quite small. It only had a grocery store, a post office, a bar, a car lot, a store and a diner that was constantly being handed over to different owners. It also had an elementary and high schools. Everything was small in that town including the number of bachelors of the town. Actually it wasn't even a town. It was actually called the Village of Ellsworth so you couldn't really call it a town.

Margaret looked at her scrap of paper and looked back out her window. She didn't need the paper because she had memorized the address that she had scrawled on it.

19452 Cliff View, Crab Apple Cove 

Finally she found the house she had been looking for. Barren trees and pine at the end of the road surrounded it. It was rather large for two bachelors to live in. It was an old Victorian house that looked in rather good shape. It had a white wooden fence that surrounded the yard that she could barely see through the snow. The house it self was painted a light blue with white trim.

Margaret opened her door and stepped out of her car. All of a sudden her stomach was doing flips. She didn't know why she was so nervous she was just dropping in to see Hawkeye.

She walked up the shoveled walkway up to the sheltered doorway and tried to calm her stomach. It was going crazy now and she was starting to think maybe this wasn't such a good idea. She finally got the nerve and decided if he didn't answer the first knock she was leaving. She knocked softly on the door and half hoped he hadn't heard it.

She heard laughing in the hallway behind the door that she could recognize anywhere. She found that her heart was now on the fritz and was beating quickly as if she had just ran a mile. The door opened suddenly and Hawkeye was standing there laughing to someone in a room behind him.

He looked just as young as he had in Korea except he had a few more gray hairs in his raven black hair and a few more wrinkles around his eyes and forehead. He was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a black turtleneck, which looked fabulous on his lean frame. Finally he turned and looked at the person standing in front of him. His eyes widened in surprise and he leaned back slightly as if he couldn't believe the person who was standing there was actually there.

Then a familiar grin spread across his face. Margaret looked exactly the same except her hair was a light brown, which he guessed was her true hair color. She was wearing a down jacket, jeans, mittens and a yellow pom-pom hat, which he thought was a bit odd for her. With her being an Army brat and all.

"Why Margaret, what do I owe the pleasure of you visiting me in my humble abode?" asked Hawkeye as he continued to grin at her.

Margaret shivered slightly with pleasure. She didn't know what was going on with her. All of a sudden she was feeling attracted to him. Of course he was extremely sexy but it seemed different from lust. She just pushed this new feeling to the back of her mind and smiled at Hawkeye.

"Hi, Hawkeye. I was just in the neighborhood and decided to stop by."

He had noticed her shiver and looked concerned for a second then remembered his manners and asked her in. She accepted and stepped into an off-white painted hall. There were several dark wood tables pushed up against the wall and several drawings of a child in frames along the length of the hall. It had several rooms leading from it and a staircase that lead upstairs.

A voice called from the room to the left, "Hey Hawk. Who was it?"

Hawkeye smiled at Margaret and led her to the den after she had taken off her winter clothes. A twinkle found it's way to his eyes when he looked at what she was wearing and how great it looked on her. She was wearing a navy sweater with snowflakes embroidered around the collar, cuffs and hem.

"Hey Dad, speaking of the she devil. Here is the lovely Margaret Houlihan that I was just telling a very humorous story about." Margaret flashed him a look that just made him grin more at her.

She looked around the room and saw several overstuffed chairs, a loveseat, a fireplace, some bookcases overflowing with books and a roll top desk. Then she noticed an older man sitting in one of the chairs looking at her with a twinkle in his eyes very much like his son's.

Daniel Pierce stood up and shook her hand, which she noticed was a strong yet gentle handshake. She saw how these men were related they look very much like each other except Hawkeye was a good foot taller and leaner and had dark raven hair while his dad had a lighter shade. They both had those Pierce family traits of twinkling eyes and a lopsided grin that together could make any woman fall to their knees if it was directed at them.

"Well what are you doing here Margaret? I thought Ben told me you were with the Army and last I heard there wasn't an Army base around here except possibly in Augusta," said Daniel as he indicated for her to sit.

"Yeah, I was just about to ask you that again Margaret." Hawkeye leaned closer like he already knew the answer but was going to wait until she explained her self fully.

"What a great welcome Hawk," Margaret muttered while she rolled her eyes.

Daniel heard her and cracked an even bigger grin. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound rude Margaret. It was just an old man's curiosity asking. Would you like a drink? Ben get her a drink."

Hawkeye stood up and went to the roll top desk, which also doubled as a liquor cabinet. "What'll it be Hot Lips?"

Margaret glared at him but answered, "Scotch."

Hawkeye got her her drink and sat back down with his own. "What have you been up to Margaret? That is if this isn't to rude."

"I quit the Army," she simply stated.

Hawkeye spewed the drink he had just taken. He rubbed the back of his hand over his mouth. "What?! I though you loved the Army. Why in the hell did you leave?"

Margaret smiled. That was the reaction she knew she was going to get out of him and took a drink of her scotch. That was the same she got out of everyone else when she had told them. "I wasn't happy. I thought I had found the 'one' and quit so we could marry because he didn't like me being employed if we were to marry. But then he started cheating on me and I broke it off and the Army wouldn't take me back at my rank. I would have to have started all over again at Private. So I settled in a small town in Michigan." She took another drink and smiled again at Hawkeye's flabbergasted face.

Finally Hawkeye got back his composure and closed his gaping mouth and straightened himself. "So where is this little piece of heaven that you call home?"

"It's a village called Ellsworth. There isn't really much unless you're looking for a public school."

Hawkeye shook his head in disbelief. "I just can't believe you left the Army Margaret let alone move to a small town."

"Well believe it because I did and I am." All of a sudden she yawned and covered her mouth.

"I hope we haven't been tiring you out Margaret," said Daniel as he smiled at her with the wrinkles around his eyes crinkling.

"Well I drove all day today so I think I need to go find a hotel or somewhere to stay before I leave tomorrow." She tried stifling another yawn but failed.

"Why don't you stay here Margaret? You can stay in my room. With me of course as company," grinned Hawkeye.

Margaret looked at him angrily. "I don't think so. I'll just find a hotel."

"But Margaret we insist," said Daniel after he had chuckled about Hawkeye's imposition. "Ben go get her suitcase from her car." Hawkeye opened her mouth to protest but his father silenced him with a stern look. When Hawk had left to go get her things Daniel said, "Now you can stay in the red guest room. When Hawk comes back in just tell him where and he'll show you up."

Daniel grabbed a book he had out earlier before he was interrupted by his son and walked to his room up the stairs. Hawkeye came in, shook off the snow that had accumulated on him and Margaret told him the room his dad had said she could use for the night. When she told him he looked a bit frightened when she asked him what was wrong he said nothing and showed her up to her room.

It was at the end of the hallway and seemed like it was rarely opened. When Hawkeye opened the door and turned on the light Margaret gave a small gasp. The place was beautiful. It was painted with a creamy white and had cherry wood furnishings and a four-poster bed also with cherry wood. The canopy, comforter, and pillows were of a rich red cloth. Then she saw double doors leading outside and opened them. She stepped onto the small balcony even though it was freezing outside.

She looked at the view and gave another gasp. It showed the cliff that ran behind the house and saw the ocean churning with a frosty full moon glowing above the water. There was a fresh blanket of snow on the ground making everything sparkle like diamonds.

She turned around to go back in and saw Hawkeye staring at the bed uncomfortably. He stood in the doorway with her suitcase just staring at it. "What's the matter Hawk?" she asked.

He shook his head as if to clear his head and replied, "Nothing, nothing." He set down her suitcase and said, "The bathroom is right down the hall on the left in case you need to… you know." He quickly left and went to his own room which was two doors down.

Margaret thought his behavior a bit odd but just brushed it off and got ready for bed. She curled up under the warm covers and soon fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Somewhere around midnight Margaret woke up hearing whispering in her room. She sat up quickly thinking it was Hawkeye talking to her in her sleep but couldn't find him in the shadows. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness she saw a woman sitting at a chair in the corner. The woman wore a pale yellow nightdress that was too light to keep her warm in the cold whether. She had long black hair that went down past her waist and she holding what looked like a bundle and was whispering to it. As Margaret continued to stare at the woman the bundle began to cry softly and that was when she realized it was a baby.

"Excuse me, but what are you doing here ma'am? Are you cold?" she asked softly so she wouldn't disturb the baby. Surprisingly she wasn't angry or anything as she watched the mother and babe. She actually felt peaceful.

The woman looked up calmly and smiled softly at Margaret. Margaret was a bit taken aback. The woman looked a lot like Hawkeye. She had the same hair color and same shape of the face. The woman opened her mouth and whispered, "Make Hawkeye happy." Then she slowly disappeared with the baby crying faintly.

Margaret shook her head and looked again at the chair. She got up and placed her hand on the back of the chair. It was colder than the rest of the room and it smelled faintly of roses. Margaret shivered and quickly went back to bed. She laid there trying to fall asleep but the woman kept haunting her thoughts. That must have been Hawkeye's mother. Hawkeye did look a lot like his dad but there were things that were different now she knew where they came from. Finally she drifted off to sleep and didn't wake up until late morning.

Margaret got dressed and followed the aroma of bacon downstairs to the kitchen. The room was quite cheerful with the yellow paint job and the sunflower décor. Hawkeye already sat at the table while Daniel made breakfast. The table was already covered with many plates with all sorts of delicious looking food. She sat down and started to heap her plate.

Hawkeye looked up from his own plate and smiled at Margaret. "Good morning Margaret."

Daniel turned and said good morning too.

"Good morning everyone. This looks great Daniel."

"Well dig in Margaret because this is the only meal my dad's good at," said Hawkeye teasingly.

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Don't listen to him Margaret. It isn't like his cooking is any better."

Margaret smiled as the Pierce men continued to bicker about each other's cooking. Finally Daniel broke it off and turned back to the food on the stove. "How'd you sleep Margaret?"

Margaret choked a bit on the bite of bacon she had just taken and replied, "Fine, fine." She cleared her throat and asked, "Is this house haunted?"

Daniel turned around and looked at Hawkeye worriedly who looked at his dad the same. "Why would you ask that Margaret?"

"Well last night I think I saw someone in my room."

"Well this house is older than it looks so I wouldn't put it past ya that this place has a few spirits in it," said Daniel lightly.

The rest of breakfast was quiet except a few 'pass the toast's. Daniel got ready to go to the practice on the other side of town. It was Hawkeye's day off so he could entertain Margaret before she left that afternoon.

"Bye Hawk," called Daniel to the back of the house. He turned to Margaret, "Well it was nice meeting you Margaret. I hope you can come see us again soon."

"Goodbye sir. I hope I can too." She gave him a quick hug and watched him get to his car. Then she turned and set out to find Hawkeye.

She found him in the kitchen washing the dishes. She started to dry them and stack them.

"You don't have to do this Margaret you're a guest," said Hawkeye as he scrubbed at a skillet.

"That's okay it could give us time to talk. You didn't tell me what you've been up to last night."

"Well I work at the family practice and am still Crab Apple Cove's top bachelor. I'm very busy at this time of year keeping the town's women warm," grinned Hawkeye. He looked at Margaret from the corner of his eye and said, "Well maybe I can help an outsider keep warm too."

Margaret gave him The Look. "I don't think so buster."

Hawkeye shrugged. "Good thing I thrive on your rejections. How about later today we go out for a walk by the cliff? There's someplace I want to show you."

Margaret eyed him. "Okay as long as you don't try anything."

"Me? Try anything? I can't believe you would think I would do anything," said Hawkeye trying to act innocently.

"Well I wasn't the one to offer to keep me warm."

Hawkeye shrugged and they continued to wash the dishes and tell each other things that have happened to them in the year they had lost contact. Margaret told him about the cheating scoundrel who had wanted her to quit the Army. Then Hawkeye told her about how his part of the practice was going. It was doing well but he wanted to get back into surgery in a hospital somewhere but he didn't want to leave his childhood home.

"Maybe I can apply to Augusta Hospital," thought Hawkeye out loud.

"I bet they could use a professional doctor there who has seen more damaged bodies than all of them put together," encouraged Margaret.

Hawkeye nodded his head thoughtfully and looked at the sink. There weren't any more dishes to wash and Margaret had just dried the last pan. "Come on go get you jacket and other winter clothes. Lets go on that walk you promised me."

Margaret did as she was told and waited for him at the door with all her winter things on including a pair of snow pants. Hawkeye came walking out with a black winter jacket and red mittens and hat.

Margaret giggled, "You're matching quite well aren't you?"

"Well I could say the same about you," replied Hawkeye with a smile.

"Touché. Lets get going. I have to get back and make sure every things all packed before I leave."

"Okay. Follow me." Hawkeye lead her outside and to the back of the house. He turned right and took her to a lookout point at the end of the cliff. Margaret looked down and saw stairs going down to the beach. She looked at Hawkeye and he nodded to her to go down. She took a step, slipped and landed on her bottom. Hawkeye's mouth started to twitch and she glared at him. She stood up and took another step and just fell down again. Then Hawkeye lost it and started to laugh while covering his mouth so she couldn't hear him, but of course she could. Then he slipped and fell which made Margaret start to giggle. He sat while pouting at her because she was laughing at him now.

"Stop. It wasn't that funny."

"Yes it was. What makes you think it isn't funny when you fall but it is when someone else does? 'Do onto others as you would onto you.'"

Hawkeye sat up and continued to lead her down the stairs to the beach. When they got down he stepped aside and let her walk down a bit by herself to look at the beauty by herself for a moment. The sand was all frosty looking but there wasn't any snow because the waves had washed it all away except for a few piles up next to the cliffs. The waves themselves were a clear blue like glass. It was much colder down there than it was up the cliff and she grasped her sides trying to keep warm.

She started to turn to look for Hawkeye when she felt something hit the side of her head and laughter. She felt the side of her face and found it was wet with snow. She turned all the way and found Hawkeye grasping the railing to the stairs laughing at her.

"Pierce! What the hell was that for?" she yelled at him.

"Well, that was for laughing at me when I slipped," he replied as he grinned at her.

Margaret stood shaking with fury but laughed. "Oh, do onto others as you want onto you." She scooped up her own ball and hurled it at him. It got him in the face, which shut him up.

"Ohh. You're asking for it." He scooped up another ball and threw it at her, which made her duck and it missed her.

Soon they were laughing and throwing snowballs at each other. They continued to taunt and tease each other. After a while they ran out of ammo and Hawkeye started to chase her around. She screeched but he kept at her until he finally caught up to her and grabbed her by the waist. He pulled her down with him and started to roll around on the beach until he was on top and was pinning her hands above her head.

He grinned down at her, which made her warm up. "Gotcha," breathed Hawkeye.

"What are you gonna do now?" asked Margaret her voice barely a whisper.

Hawkeye looked down at her studying her then leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. He parted and looked at her nervously.

"That best you can do?" asked Margaret with a seductive smile.

Hawkeye smiled and leaned down and kissed her again. Now it lasted much longer and more hungrily. She wiggled under him trying to free her arms but he held them fast. After a few moments he sat up and looked at her. She looked at him a bit quizzingly.

"It's a bit cold. Isn't it?"

She smiled and nodded. They sat up and made their way up the stairs. This time none of them slipped because they knew it was slippery. They kept stealing glances at each other but then shyly looking away. They both had a new emotion bubbling inside of them but couldn't think where it was coming from.

As they walked back to the house Margaret stopped. Hawkeye kept going a few steps but turned back to see what was keeping her. She had fallen over on to the side of the path and was now waving her arms and legs back and forth. He walked back until he could see what she was doing.

After a minute she stopped and looked at Hawkeye. "It's been such a long time since I've done this. I haven't exactly been near much snow in private."

Hawkeye smiled. She looked very much like the person the print was making. She cautiously stood up and stood by Hawkeye admiring her work. The snow angle looked like any other snow angel except this one had a small halo from her pom-pom hat.

She giggled, tagged Hawkeye and ran toward the house. "You're it!"

Hawkeye gave a chuckle and ran after her. He hadn't had this much fun since sadly enough when he was in the Army. He caught up to her just before she got to the door and grabbed her around the waist and lifted her up, which made her squeal in surprise.

"You're it," whispered Hawkeye into her ear as he put her back down. Margaret shivered, which Hawkeye thought was from the cold. "Come on let's get inside before you catch a cold young lady. And maybe I can help keep you warm."

Margaret shook her head hopelessly. "You'll never quit with the sexual impositions are you?"

"If you put it in a technical term." He looked up as if thinking deeply with his hand on his chin. Then he looked at her with his head still raised. "I guess until you break."

"What makes you think I'll break to you?"

"Well eventually you'll give in and wonder what it's like to make love with a master." Hawkeye stepped into the house and shut the door. After a moment when Margaret didn't come in he poked his head out. "You coming?" Margaret closed her mouth and nodded.

She walked in and took off her winter things. She looked in the den and found Hawkeye helping himself to the liquor cabinet. She walked past thinking he could watch himself long enough for her to take a quick shower. She looked out the upstairs window and saw it was starting to snow quite heavily.

"It'll clear by the time I'm done," she thought to herself.

She took a shower much longer than she had planned. It just felt so good after that walk outside. She was just putting on her panties and bra when Hawkeye knocked on the door and immediately after that opened the door. He stopped where he was going and stared at her. She was just standing there with her panties and was just putting on her bra. They stood like that for a moment until Hawkeye cracked open a grin.

"I was wondering where you had gone. Why do women take so long to take a shower? Unless of course I was with them then I would understand."

"GET OUT!! GET OUT!!" screeched Margaret as she grabbed the closest article of clothing, which was a pair of pants and tried to cover herself.

Hawkeye ducked as she threw her hairbrush at him and quickly left before she could throw anything that would find its mark. He went down to the den and shook his head up at the ceiling.

Margaret took several deep breaths and calmed herself down so she could concentrate on putting on her clothes. She stepped out of the bathroom and looked out the window again. It looked the same except if it was possible it looked like it was snowing even harder. She sighed. There wasn't anyway she was going to be able to leave with the weather like this, which meant she would have to stay with Hawkeye longer than she expected.

She crept to her room and changed into something more comfortable than her jeans and black sweater. When she came down she found Hawkeye in front of the fireplace with a blazing fire in the love seat. She sat in one of the chairs after she got herself a drink and watched the fire crackle.

Hawkeye didn't look up from the fire. "I thought you were leaving soon."

"The weather doesn't seem to want me to leave. It looks like a blizzard out there. I don't think I would like to leave with a blizzard blowing around," she replied.

Hawkeye looked up worriedly to the window and saw that it was snowing quite heavily and it was dark outside too even though it was about one in the afternoon. Just then the phone rang. "I'll get it," he said as he quickly set down his drink.

"Hello?"

"Hi son. I don't think I'll be able to come home tonight. It sure is blowing out there. Don't worry we have electricity and blankets and food," said Daniel calling from the practice.

"Are you sure it's okay Dad? If you want I can come over and…"

"No I don't want to hear about it. You just stay there and don't get in trouble. Is Margaret still there?"

"Yeah. She doesn't want to leave in this weather either. Or it could just be an excuse to be with me," he said cheekily.

Daniel chuckled at his end of the line. "Now behave Hawk. I would like her to come over again sometime when she could so don't scare her off."

"Don't worry Dad. I won't do anything unless she goes along with it," said Hawkeye grinning.

Daniel chuckled again. "Bye Ben. See ya tomorrow I hope."

"Talk to ya later Dad." Hawkeye hung up the phone and ran his hand over his mouth. He walked back into the den and sat down.

"Was that your dad?" asked Margaret.

"Hmmm? Yeah. He's stuck in the practice so he was just letting me now I'm on my own." He winked at her. "And I have you with me so I don't get into to much trouble."

Margaret gave him a bemused look.

"So I'm in your good graces now?"

"Yes."

Hawkeye gave her a mock shocked expression. "After the way I behaved Margaret Houlihan isn't even going to try to get even? Well I never thought I would see the day that would happen."

"Well I've been taking some anger management classes so I'm not all that angry. But that doesn't mean you can just do that again. Because if you do you'll be in a world of hurt buster," said Margaret trying to sound threatening.

"I wouldn't dream of it," said Hawkeye with another wink.

"Have you ever thought of marriage?" asked Margaret out of nowhere. As soon as she spoke it she immediately wished she hadn't because Hawkeye looked at her with a 'Are you crazy?' kind of look.

"Well yes I have but when I was much, much younger before I knew the fun of being a bachelor," replied Hawkeye with his left eyebrow raised.

Margaret blushed and studied Hawkeye. "How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"That, raising your eyebrow. I've always wanted to do that," said Margaret rather sheepishly.

"It's just a natural born gift," said Hawkeye dramatically. Then he leaned her way, which made her lean in and whispered loudly, "Well, that isn't all I can raise."

Margaret leaned back with a shocked yet bemused look on her face. "Is that a fact?"

Hawkeye grinned. He studied her for a moment. "You know what those pajamas look quite nice on you."

Margaret looked down at herself. She was wearing a new pair of pajamas that had cherries printed on it because it was Michigan's prize fruit. The bottoms were baggy yet stuck close to her body showing off her flat stomach. The top was a button down that was about a size to small that fit snugly around her breasts and curves.

She blushed and slid down the back of the chair until she winced when she felt a pain in her neck. Hawkeye looked at her concerned. "Come here let me look at you neck." She got up and sat down by him rubbing her neck. It must have become sore while they were outside.

He started to massage her neck, which made her sigh. It was loosening the muscle and him touching her made her shiver with pleasure. Hawkeye felt her shiver under his touch and gave a little smile.

"This feel better?"

"Mmmmm, yeah."

Hawkeye continued to massage her neck and shoulders longer than needed. After she was in an almost doze he leaned forward moved her hair to the side and started to kiss her neck. She woke up feeling something on her neck and noticed it was Hawkeye.

"Hawkeye?" she whispered.

"Hmmm?"

"What are you doing?"

"What does it feel like I'm doing? Do you want me to stop?"

She didn't do anything and just sat letting him kiss her neck and let his hands wander to her waist. _"I should stop him before he gets to the sweet spot on my neck. Right now. Right now. Right now…"_

Hawkeye got to the hollow of her neck where if he got it just right she would be at the place of no return. He got it just right in the hollow of her neck by kissing, licking, and sucking at the skin. Margaret moaned and wiggled in his grasp. Hawkeye liked that when she did that and did it again. Now he started to turn her around until she was kneeling in front of him running her hands through his raven black hair. His hands wandered to her butt and gave it a squeeze. She gave a little yelp and glared at him accusingly.

"Hey, my hands did it on their own."

She smiled and moved in to continue kissing him. Then suddenly he flipped her so she underneath him. He lay on top of her and parted her lips with his tongue, which started to explore her mouth like an unexplored cave. His hands rested on her hips. She moaned and moved with him. She placed her hands on his butt and gave a slight squeeze.

He got a harder grip on her hips and started kissing her rather roughly. Margaret stopped pressing on his butt and started tugging on his shirt to come over his head. She whipped it off of him and almost made it fall into the fire. She let her hands roam across his well-toned body. Hawkeye was just about to pull her hair away from her face so he could get to her beautiful face when the phone rang.

"Damn it! That stupid phone just had to ring." He looked down at her longingly but when the phone rang again he sighed and went to pick it up.

Margaret sighed and placed her hands behind her head and waited for him to return so they could continue with their rendezvous. Hawkeye came back and stood in the doorway gravely. Margaret sensed something was wrong and sat up. He came over and sat down and ran his fingers through his hair. Margaret lightly placed her hand on his thigh in a friendly manner.

"What's the matter?"

"I can't believe it."

"Did something happen to Daniel?"

"No."

"Then what's the problem?"

"My cousin Nathan almost got in a car accident. He was going too fast and ran into a patch of ice. Luckily he got the car under control before he almost hit a tree," Hawkeye said as he sighed. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "I don't think we're doing anything else tonight."

"How's he doing?" asked Margaret concerned.

"He's doing okay but he's pretty shaken up and they think he might have pneumonia. He was like my best friend when we were younger. Then when I went to that fabulous party in Korea he got married and had a kid. When I got back I didn't even know him. He used to be careless about everything like me now he worries about everything."

"I'm sure he'll be okay. Everything will go well."

Hawkeye nodded and left her to go call his father about what had happened. Margaret watched the fire for a while. When it was on it's last embers she looked around the room and saw Hawkeye sitting in one of the chairs with his eyes closed and it looked as if he was asleep. Margaret smiled, got up and kissed him on the cheek goodnight. She found a blanket and covered him so he wouldn't get cold when the fire went out for good. She almost thought she saw him smile just a tinny bit when she covered him. She tip toed up to her room and soon fell asleep.

She woke up hearing a baby crying and someone trying to soothe it. She sat up and found the same woman and child in her room. The woman smiled at her and motioned for her to come closer. Margaret got up and went to her. The woman looked very real and she guessed that if she held out her hand that the woman would be very solid. The woman tilted the baby up so Margaret could see the baby's face well. It looked very much the mother.

"Who are you?"

The woman smiled again and looked up at the dresser at the only object that sat up there. Margaret went over and picked up the frame. The picture inside showed a family of three. There was a man that Margaret was sure was Daniel when he was quite younger. There was a young boy that she guessed was Hawkeye at 10. He looked like a very mischievous little boy. Then there was the woman holding Hawkeye and Daniel holding her. Margaret looked behind her to ask the woman if she was Hawkeye's mother but she wasn't there. Again it smelled like roses in the room. Margaret smiled and got back to bed. She liked her resident ghost.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning she looked out her doors and saw it was still snowing but very lightly. There was about 5 feet of snow since yesterday's snowstorm. She sniffed the air and could smell something unfamiliar. She put her light blue robe on and made her way to the kitchen. When she walked in she couldn't help but give a chuckle. Hawkeye stood in front of the stove wearing an apron that said 'If you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen' making something in the complete nude.

He heard her and smiled. She raised her eyebrows as if to say, 'And why are you naked?'

"I was getting to warm in here but I wanted to make you breakfast in bed but since you're awake I guess you'll have to eat down here."

Margaret noticed to it was a bit warm in there to even though she was used to being cold and loved the heat. She took off her robe and placed it on one of the chairs.

"Well don't let me stop you from carrying out your dreams. If you want I could go back up to bed," she said amused.

"If you bring me with you," he grinned back.

"Then who's going to cook breakfast and since you already have that pretty much covered I'll meet you upstairs." She shot him a smile and pranced back upstairs.

He grinned up at the ceiling and quickly finished making breakfast. He put it all on a tray and brought it upstairs with coffee and orange juice. When he got to the door of her room he hesitated just a second before walking in smiling.

"Brrrr. It's cold in here. How can you stand it?" Of course he was still naked and from coming from the overly warm kitchen to her room at the second floor where all the heat refused to go it was quite a shock.

"Well then get under the covers before you freeze your… you know what," said Margaret blushing slightly.

Hawkeye looked at her in mock amazement. "Me? Expose myself to a young woman of the opposite sex? I'd never think of it."

Margaret rolled her eyes. "That didn't stop you last night."

"Touché." He crawled under the covers with her and put the tray on her lap.

On it was a plate of what looked like fried puffs with powdered sugar on top, toast, coffee and orange juice.

"I wasn't sure what you wake up with in the morning so I brought up both."

She took the orange juice and he took the coffee.

"This is nice Hawkeye. Thanks. But what are those?" She pointed toward the puffs and he gave her a confused look.

"Don't tell me you never had an Aebleskiver! Everyone knows what an Aebleskiver is!"

Margaret shook her head and took one. She bit into it and smiled.

"Good?" he asked.

She swallowed. "Good."

They ate the rest the plate together and talked about old times. They laughed about Klinger's escape plans, Charles's snobbishness, and Frank's idiotic ways. When all was eaten and talked about they sat for a second collecting their thoughts then they looked at each other at the same time. Then something burst inside of them at the same time and they lunged at each other and their lips meet in a rough embrace.

He climbed on top of her and looked down at her. She looked nice with her hair in a fan around her head like a halo and all the nice sheets and pillows looked shabby compared to her. He loved her. He just realized after all this time. He really loved this woman who he was with right now. He doubted he could ever find anyone better. He just sat there looking at her when she was thinking just the same.

Margaret looked up at him with her frosty green eyes up to his piercing blue ones. This man she was with was one of the best men she ever knew. The others she treated like fathers but he was like a brother. More like a very, _very_ distant brother, who just happens to be sitting on her mostly naked except an apron.

She slowly untied the apron and slipped it off of him. He laid on top of her and started kissing her softly as his hands explored her. Then his tongue parted her lips. She put her arms around his neck and pulled him closer into her. Her tongue started to wrestle with his own when his hands wound up at her breasts. He looked up briefly, took a double take and stiffened. He sat up and climbed off her.

Margaret looked up at him as he sat at the edge of the bed. "What's the matter Hawkeye?"

"This room," he sighed and combed his fingers through his hair.

"What's the matter with this room?"

"It's just the memories that come with it."

"Does it have to do with your mother?"

He looked at her sharply. "Who ever said it did?" He got up quickly and left taking his apron.

Margaret stared at the door sadly and shook her head. He just couldn't talk about it. She sighed and got dressed for the day.

She came down about another hour later. She had straightened her room up so it looked neater. She looked for Hawkeye but guessed he must be up in his room. She had seen his door closed like it was all the time. She went and listened and could hear thick pages being turned. She crept back downstairs and got a good look at the house. It was rather clean for two bachelors and guessed that they had a cleaning maid or they were very clean men. And with the Swamp as an example and knew that Hawkeye was very alike his dad she guessed it must be the first.

She got her snow stuff on and went outside. At first she couldn't get outside the door but she soon kicked the snow out of her way and made her way to the cliff. She found a bench a way's off and sat down. She watched the waves crash upon the shore undeterred by the heavy snowfall. She sat and thought about Hawkeye. She tried not to but his laughing face kept showing up in her mind's eye.

She could feel someone watching her and looked up at the house. Her eyes followed up the side of the house until it found the doors that were in her room. She thought she saw the curtains move but brushed it off as a trick of the light.

She kept watching the waves letting her thoughts float around her head almost like the wind that was picking up quite a bit until she heard someone yelling her name. She turned back to the house and could see Hawkeye's head leaning out of the back door of the house yelling at her to get back into the house before she was blown off the cliff.

She smiled at his concern and waved letting him know she was on her way. She stood up but just as soon as she stood up she was swept up by the wind and carried over to the edge of the cliff. She tried to grab onto something but there wasn't anything on the cliff except some long dead grass. She tried grabbing for it but the roots just broke in her hands. As soon as the wind had carried her off it stopped and she noticed that she was still on top of the cliff except just barely. Her arms had grabbed onto the edge of the cliff but the most of her was hanging off the cliff.

"Help! Help! Someone help! I'm on the cliff!" she screamed into the wind that just carried it out of her mouth. She trembled when she noticed that her fingers were numb with the cold and the strain of holding her body up aloft.

"_Don't look down. Whatever you do don't look down Margaret," _she kept telling herself.

Just as she thought she couldn't hold on much longer she felt strong hands grasp her wrists and a voice say, "It's okay. I got ch'ya. I got ch'ya."

Then she felt herself being pulled up and carried somewhere. She couldn't quite remember where she was because of the shock. She had thought she was going to die. Those cliffs were very high and she knew that if she fell she had a very slim chance of surviving.

She felt warmth envelope her as she was set down on something soft and someone grasping her hands after taking off her snow stuff. After a while she finally focused her eyes and could see Hawkeye looking at her concerned.

When he saw that she recognized him he sighed and asked if she was okay. She took a moment checking herself out to see if anything hurt and replied she was fine.

"Didn't you think it was crazy to be on top of the cliff like that with the wind howling like that?" he asked after he had gotten over his concern.

"Wouldn't you think it was crazy if a person you cared for just left with no reasonable explanation?" she countered.

He sighed. "That room just has a some bad memories."

"It has something to do with your mother doesn't it Hawk?" asked Margaret softly as she touched his arm lightly.

Hawkeye sighed again and looked at the embers of the fire in the den. Margaret waited patiently for him to say something. After a moment or two Hawkeye looked at her with sad eyes. "That was my mom's room. My parents slept in the same room of course but she had a room all to herself incase she needed to get away from us boys. Which I must admit was a lot." He smiled fondly but his eyes soon got that sad look again. "The summer I was 10 she was about to give birth to my new baby sibling. Something went wrong with the delivery and she died along with the baby." He looked down at his hands. "I had snuck into her room where she was giving birth and was hiding behind the curtains of the doors that led out to the balcony. I was there when she took her last breath even though no one knew I was there." He looked at her. "That's why I can't really stand to be in that room, her room."

They sat there for a while with Hawkeye looking into the embers and Margaret watching him. He got up and went up the stairs to his room where she heard his door close. She sighed herself. The man she loved was in pain. She sat a moment before something came to her mind.

She quietly tiptoed up the stairs to his room and stood outside his door. She knocked softly and could hear him say softly to come in. She peeked her head into his unlit room and found him with his back to her.

"Hawkeye?"

"What is it?" he said gruffly.

"I want to help you."

"What can you do? You can't bring her back and you can't in hell replace her."

"I know that but I have something in mind that might help. Just close your eyes and lay back."

He gave a snort but did as he was told. Margaret let the rest of her slip into his room and sat on the bed next to him. "I can ease your pain a bit by taking some of your pain for my own."

"You heard her last breath," she said as she kissed both his ears softly. "You probably saw her in her last moment of life." She kissed both his eyes softly. "You probably smelled her perfume even after she had passed on." She kissed his nose. "You probably felt to see if she was alive." She picked up his hands and one by one kissed his fingertips.

When she was done she put his hands to her chest. "I know you miss her but now I know how it feels to miss someone. I've taken some of your pain for my own."

Hawkeye lay as if asleep. He smiled slightly with his eyes closed. "Thanks Margaret. It actually feels as if it has lessened some."

Margaret smiled and kissed him softly on the lips and said even softer, "I love you Hawkeye."

Hawkeye kissed her back. "I love you too, Margaret."

She curled up next to him and let him put an arm around her waist. They laid like that for the remainder of the afternoon doing nothing but laying with the person they loved. They soon fell asleep with twin smiles of love for each other.

When they woke up they could hear a voice downstairs yelling up the stairs to them. "Hey! You guys still up there? I hope you haven't done anything dirty in my house while I was snowed in at the clinic."

Hawkeye moaned and yelled back at his dad, "We didn't do anything Dad! Just go away!"

"I was just gone. You guys come down and have some supper. I made chili so come down while it's still hot!" Daniel shook his head at the stairs and went back to the kitchen to dish out the chili for the three of them.

Margaret woke up and felt something squeezing her softly. She smiled and remembered falling asleep with Hawkeye. She rolled over and smiled into his face. "Hey."

"Hey," he smiled back. "We better get up or my dad will come up to see what we're up to."

Margaret got up and watched Hawkeye as he stretched. He was quite a man. Handsome, smart, caring, a doctor who she could trust her life with.

They went down and had dinner with Daniel. He told them that he had been rescued by the snowplows around one that afternoon and had soon gotten home. He noticed that they weren't anywhere downstairs so he just left them be until he had supper ready for them.

After dinner they gathered into the den and they all took turns telling funny stories about their lives. Hawkeye and Margaret kept telling stories about their MASH unit and when they looked at each other Daniel couldn't help but notice a certain twinkling in their eyes that reminded him so much of him and his wife. He soon thereafter left making an excuse that he was tired because of being holed up at the clinic and left them to themselves.

The laughter soon fell into silence between them as they sat side by side on the love seat. They watched the blazing fire turn into embers only did then did one of them talk.

"Margaret," Hawkeye started, "I learned something these last few days that I've been ignoring for four years. And just realized this morning," He took a deep breath. He got down on one knee, took out a ring from his shirt pocket, held it out to her and asked, "Will you Margaret Houlihan become my wife?"

Margaret looked down at him with 'a deer caught in headlights' look. This was totally unexpected. She looked at him for a moment while his piercing blue eyes searched her frosty green ones.

"Yes!"

"Yes?"

"Yes!" she smiled down at him.

Hawkeye smiled and slipped the sapphire ring on her finger. "You just made me the happiest man in the world Margaret!"

"And you've just made me the happiest woman!" she exclaimed as she threw her arms around his neck.

Daniel came down the stairs in his robe and looked into the den. "What's going on?"

"I just asked if Margaret would marry me!" Hawkeye exclaimed with dancing eyes.

"And I said, 'Yes!'" finished Margaret.

"Well it's about time," Daniel muttered loudly.

"What?" asked Hawkeye confused.

"Ever since you came back from Korea I've seen the way your face lightens up whenever you brought up Margaret. And them just tonight when I left I saw the way you guys were looking at each other I knew it was about time you asked her. Whether you called her up on the phone or you went looking for her."

Hawkeye looked at his dad strangely. "How could you figure that out? I didn't even have it in my mind to do that."

Daniel smiled. "I was just like that with your mother. Just take it from an old man."

Then Hawkeye smiled. "Well I guess pretty soon you'll get your wish for grandkids then Dad."

"Not until we're married buster," said Margaret as she slapped him.

"How soon the wedding?" asked Hawkeye.

Margaret thought for a moment. "October. I've always wanted an October wedding."

"Why not now? We can elope then after we have our wedding night we can make snow angels in the freshly fallen snow. I think that would be more romantic," said Hawkeye as he nuzzled her neck.

"That does sound romantic but I'm sticking with the October wedding. Soon after October comes winter. Then we can make snow angels to our hearts content."

Hawkeye sighed. "Okay, October it is."

Margaret smiled at him. "Just wait. Maybe tonight we can make your snow angels. How's that you old romantic?"

Hawkeye smiled back. "Fine, lets go get started at them snow angels." He picked her up and tossed her out the front door into the snow where she fell into a drift. He laughed as she laid down as flat as she could and started making her snow angel as the snow fell softly on her.

As she got up to go back into the house and give her betrothed a piece of her mind she looked up at her room and thought she saw a figure of a woman holding a baby and waving at her but of course it could have just been her imagination.

They couldn't wait till October to get married so instead they had it on the anniversary of Hawkeye's mother's death by his request. He wanted to remember the day with a happy memory instead of just a sad one.

At the reception Margaret often looked in a corner of the den were everyone was gathered for the toasts. In the corner she could she could see a woman in a light yellow dress holding a bundle smiling at her son and his new bride. She gave a small wave and faded away. From then on Margaret never saw her again except in the pictures Hawkeye showed her.

After their wedding the new Mr. And Mrs. Pierce left to go to Niagara Falls for their honeymoon where Margaret got pregnant. It was a wonderful perfect baby boy. They named him Daniel Henry Sherman Pierce. After Danny they had three other children named Clarisa, Addam and Becky. After complications in Becky's birth Margaret refused to have any more children even though Hawkeye said it was so fun to make them.

The little family lived peacefully in Crab Apple Cove until 1992 when Hawkeye had a heart attack and died in his wife's arms. One short month later and Margaret joined her husband at Heaven's pearly gates. They walked in holding each other and smiling.


End file.
